New Here - Heart Attack at 31...

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jiggy66
jiggy66 Posts: 52 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi All,

I am new to MFP, but I am already loving it. I wanted to introduce myself and see if there was anyone out there who wanted to be "friends" and help each other along the way. I will give you a quick bio about me, just so you know what you are dealing with :)

I was a normal weight as a child until 3rd grade. My parents divorced then and I must have become an emotional eater. I was always the "fat girl". In junior high, I went on a successful diet and lost nearly 30lbs on my own. I gained it back sophomore year of HS, despite being an athlete. I played volleyball, soccer AND softball. When I graduated high school I was around 240lbs. I stayed around that weight until junior year of college when I started working at Starbucks. My weight kept creeping up. When I graduated college I was around 280 or 290. I started teaching and eating a lot of fast food. I gave up a few addictions traded them for another (food). My weight crept up to 312. I was at my heaviest (at that point) and decided to lose some weight. I got down back to 280 and then got pregnant with my daughter. The day I delivered I was 344 pounds!!! I was also in toxemia and was severely swollen. Lost 33 lbs in ten days after having daughter. I slowly started losing weight and was down to 255lbs, working out regularly. Then I had a heart attack in February. I was at the gym in the morning on the day I had the heart attack! I had an allergic reaction to some pistachio nuts and the cardiologist said it did not cause the heart attack (obviously), but it sent my heart into shock. Since 2004, I have been an uncontrolled diabetic (the only time I was controlled was when I was pregnant and I was taking an obscene amount of insulin). I am now going between 275-278. I am eating better than I ever have, but have gained about 25 lbs since 2/2012. I am concerned that it might be because of the insulin.

The most frustrating part of all this is that I enjoy exercise and healthy foods; I just have been in the habit of binging a lot. I get a craving and just go buck wild. I love low-carb, yet fattening foods. I am going to try and eat leaner proteins and exercise every day instead of just the three days a week I have been. I am a Zumba addict! I do it 3 days a week, but just added a fourth day.

I bought a boudoir photo package. That is my motivation!!! I want to feel good in my own skin; I've never felt that way.

Thank you for reading :)

Replies

  • thescrumisfun
    thescrumisfun Posts: 355
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    Welcome to MFP! You've done the first step in changing your life for the better! Many people are very supportive and there is a lot to learn. Just take it one day at a time :flowerforyou: And remember,
    YOU CAN DO THIS!

    Best,
    Laura
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
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    You can add me.. I am pretty active on here and believe all the motivation we can get helps.. i am also a zumba nut!
  • IamBellaDea
    IamBellaDea Posts: 15
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    Welcome and I know you will be successful in obtaining your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goal.
  • jiggy66
    jiggy66 Posts: 52 Member
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    Thank you all! I am looking forward to posting my success story in January 2013 :)
  • nhowze23
    nhowze23 Posts: 2 Member
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    Welcome. Don't know if you know it or not but your introduction will change somebody's life. Love your honesty. Stay focus with patience and you'll achieve your goal.
  • mmmsquid
    mmmsquid Posts: 8
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    Hi, if you fancy a friend in Wales, who's also a struggling, meat loving binger, add me. Good luck, hope this place will help you. I only joined last week, but feel much more motivated reading everyone's stories. Karen. x
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    I SOOO feel for you and how you've coped with your problems. You CAN do this - just take one day at a time and keep on doing the best you can each day. You've taken the first steps, deciding to lose weight and do it the healthy way. You're exercising, which is great!

    My top tip would be to cut your calories moderately, not drastically, as drastic cuts lead to binges and you already know that you do that sometimes.

    Read this - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    as it helps enormously in setting a realistic calorie goal that you can sustain without becoming a ravenous monster within a few days.

    Friend me if you'd like :smile: but only if your diary is open - can't comment on what I can't see.
  • bridgelene
    bridgelene Posts: 358 Member
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    My top tip would be to cut your calories moderately, not drastically, as drastic cuts lead to binges and you already know that you do that sometimes.

    Exactly! Starting at over 290 I could've safely cut more with a goal of 2lbs/week, but I chose a goal of 0.5lbs (knowing that I still have some wiggle room to go under calorie-wise, if that's how the day flows) so that I had a better chance of meeting my goal and not getting discouraged and giving up because I "failed".

    Welcome to MFP and good job on making a commitment to your health!

    I'm gonna send you a request :)
  • BonnieandClyde29
    BonnieandClyde29 Posts: 1,026 Member
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    i will be happy to add you!!! :) , and just in my opinion i think you would loose more weight if you cut calories more than you are with carbs....the carbs give you more energy especially when your working out or doing weights...which might help you more too...
  • marjoleina
    marjoleina Posts: 189 Member
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    Welcome, if you like to read, I would recommend reading "Sugar Nation", its available on Amazon, and written by a person who had diabetes and how what they ate and how they excersized effected their disease process. I found it super informative.
  • dawnsjourney
    dawnsjourney Posts: 80 Member
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    I just started here a week ago. Been working out regularly for a year and am doing ok. I now want to do GREAT!

    I would love a friend or two on here. Motivation is a big deal and social media seems to work well for that.

    Good luck!
  • jiggy66
    jiggy66 Posts: 52 Member
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    i will be happy to add you!!! :) , and just in my opinion i think you would loose more weight if you cut calories more than you are with carbs....the carbs give you more energy especially when your working out or doing weights...which might help you more too...

    I am eating carbs, just trying to eliminate unnecessary ones if you know what I mean? Like no breads (I do eat Julian Bakery no carb bread), pasta, or rice. This is only because I have proven to be incredibly insulin resistant. I should not have to take 40 units of insulin at dinner because I want to have a (normal) plate of spaghetti. I am trying to get most of them from health grains, vegetables, and fruit.

    I will admit, I do splurge. Last night I had two cakepops from Starbucks since I was way under my calories. In all reality, it wasn't really worth it. My blood sugar was higher this morning that I would have liked, unfortunately.
  • jiggy66
    jiggy66 Posts: 52 Member
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    Welcome, if you like to read, I would recommend reading "Sugar Nation", its available on Amazon, and written by a person who had diabetes and how what they ate and how they excersized effected their disease process. I found it super informative.

    Thank you, I will look into that!
  • rosie38c
    rosie38c Posts: 25 Member
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    Have just rejoined after a diet disaster of having to live in a hotel for 7 months with work so also have a lot of work to do :) happy to add as a friend for support. Good luck, rosie x
  • jiggy66
    jiggy66 Posts: 52 Member
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    My top tip would be to cut your calories moderately, not drastically, as drastic cuts lead to binges and you already know that you do that sometimes.

    Exactly! Starting at over 290 I could've safely cut more with a goal of 2lbs/week, but I chose a goal of 0.5lbs (knowing that I still have some wiggle room to go under calorie-wise, if that's how the day flows) so that I had a better chance of meeting my goal and not getting discouraged and giving up because I "failed".

    Welcome to MFP and good job on making a commitment to your health!

    I'm gonna send you a request :)

    I recently went to a weightloss doctor and he had my BMR calculated (via some test I did by breathing into a hose, which was connected to some fancy machine) at 2600 calories. According to MFP, they have my BMR at 2450 (or something close), so I am just following what is calculated on here. My question is, at the end of the day, if I exercise I have around 500 extra calories that I am allotted to eat ( I have been trying to eat around 2,000). Am I supposed to eat those?

    Right now my biggest concern is the SALT! I cannot believe how much salt I am consuming. WAY TOO MUCH. Unbelievable how much salt is in food.....I would have never known had I not started tracking.

    I will open my diet up to the public, I just dont want any judgements. Only constructive criticism lol :)
  • christylindquist
    christylindquist Posts: 32 Member
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    Welcome! I have been up and down as well. My step mom has diabetes and has an insulin port. She started eating paleo style and has not needed as much insulin lately. I have a problem with binging too. I have to be really conscience about portion control and put the bag/box/bar DOWN after I measure out what I'm going to allow myself to eat. Then I flush it down with a tall glass of water :)

    Add me and I'll help motivate you and share some yummy recipes.

    Christy
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    My top tip would be to cut your calories moderately, not drastically, as drastic cuts lead to binges and you already know that you do that sometimes.

    Exactly! Starting at over 290 I could've safely cut more with a goal of 2lbs/week, but I chose a goal of 0.5lbs (knowing that I still have some wiggle room to go under calorie-wise, if that's how the day flows) so that I had a better chance of meeting my goal and not getting discouraged and giving up because I "failed".

    Welcome to MFP and good job on making a commitment to your health!

    I'm gonna send you a request :)

    I recently went to a weightloss doctor and he had my BMR calculated (via some test I did by breathing into a hose, which was connected to some fancy machine) at 2600 calories. According to MFP, they have my BMR at 2450 (or something close), so I am just following what is calculated on here. My question is, at the end of the day, if I exercise I have around 500 extra calories that I am allotted to eat ( I have been trying to eat around 2,000). Am I supposed to eat those?

    Right now my biggest concern is the SALT! I cannot believe how much salt I am consuming. WAY TOO MUCH. Unbelievable how much salt is in food.....I would have never known had I not started tracking.

    I will open my diet up to the public, I just dont want any judgements. Only constructive criticism lol :)

    Yes, the idea is that you eat the extra calories you earn through exercise, or your daily deficit is too big. I often eat half of my exercise calories, but if I'm hungry I can eat up to all of them! Some people say the estimates MFP gives for exercise are too generous, which is why I don't always eat them all, but I think I'm getting better at knowing if I'm short of calories by how I feel, not the message from my mouth (it ALWAYS says "eat chocolate!")

    It's easier to consume less salt if you do your own cooking from scratch.
  • jiggy66
    jiggy66 Posts: 52 Member
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    Welcome! I have been up and down as well. My step mom has diabetes and has an insulin port. She started eating paleo style and has not needed as much insulin lately. I have a problem with binging too. I have to be really conscience about portion control and put the bag/box/bar DOWN after I measure out what I'm going to allow myself to eat. Then I flush it down with a tall glass of water :)

    Add me and I'll help motivate you and share some yummy recipes.

    Christy

    I was trying Atkins for a while and with the low carbs, I didn't really need a lot of insulin either. My figuring was if the insulin was causing my weight gain then lower carbs = lower insulin needs. I was successful on that front, but I was gaining weight, not losing it. I am hoping that by restricting my calories moderately and EXERCISING, that this will help get the weight off. CROSSING FINGERS!! (and eyes, and toes, etc lol)
  • jiggy66
    jiggy66 Posts: 52 Member
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    Thank you to everyone who added me as a friend and had such kind words to say....I am so blown away by the sense of community on this site. I have used other sites (sparks, fatsecret, etc) and this is by far the most user friendly and the best overall. Thank you again :)

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